-The hot topic is the Mets’ latest comeback victory resulting in a dramatic 8-7 walkoff win thanks to NL MVP candidate Carlos Beltran’s two-run blast off Cards’ closer Jason Isringhausen last night at Shea. It was their 11th walkoff of the season. They overcame a two home run performance by Albert Pujols. In a game they trailed 7-1, first base slugger Carlos Delgado produced two dingers of his own including a grand slam to give his team a chance. Beltran’s ninth inning homer touched off another big celebration at the plate. The Mets have a lot of fun. At this point, they have to know how much better they are than almost anyone in the NL. They play and act like it.

-Mets also received good news on Tom Glavine. The 40 year-old veteran southpaw will not need season-ending surgery on his hand and should be able to return. A huge plus for their postseason aspirations. My question is if John Maine continues to pitch lights out, does he crack that vet playoff rotation? At present, you have to think a healthy Pedro, Glavine and El Duque will be the top three.

-The Amazin’s also upgraded their right field by finally completing a deal with Arizona for Shawn Green late last night. Though the ex-Dodger who once slugged 49 long balls a few years ago isn’t what he used to be, he is steady defensively and his bat should benefit from the Mets potent lineup. Expect a jump in production. What this means is that wiz kid Lastings Milledge probably won’t get much PT and will probably be in a bench role. Still, it will be beneficial for the 21 year-old top prospect to be with the club during this stretch drive.

-Meanwhile, the Yanks suffered a tough defeat in Seattle last night when Adrian Beltre smacked his second HR of the game to give the Mariners a 6-5 walkoff of their own. Can’t really say this was surprising. The Bronx Bombers had come off an impressive five-game sweep of the rival Red Sox. There was a lot of stock in those games and time put into them while it was just four days. You had to figure with the travel, they’d be a little emotionally spent. Ditto for the fading Sox who dropped their sixth in a row to the Angels in Anaheim 4-3.

-So one more day till that much anticipated Jets/Giants preseason tilt which decides so much. It means everything!

-There hasn’t really been much to get excited about with football so far. Unless you think Coach Coughlin’s new mellow persona is actually a plus. I’m still waiting for the first blowup between him and moody receiver Plaxico Burress.

-Speaking of football, this just happened to catch our eye on that new sparkplug back Gang Green acquired in selfdescribed “nice guy” Kevan Barlow:

Jets running back Kevan Barlow apologized to 49ers coach Mike Nolan for comparing him to Adolf Hitler in a newspaper interview.

Barlow, who was traded from San Francisco to New York on Sunday for a fourth-round pick, made his inflammatory comments to the Contra Costa Times in Wednesday’s editions. Jets coach Eric Mangini said Wednesday he has spoken with Barlow, and the player is sorry for what he said.

“He walks around with a chip on his shoulder, like he’s a dictator, like he’s Hitler,” Barlow told the paper. “People are scared of him. If it ain’t Nolan’s way, it’s the highway.”

After making the comments, Barlow called back to say he didn’t mean to make the comparison, blaming his outburst on his emotions.

“I was kind of harsh on him, saying he’s a dictator. That’s bad. Saddam Hussein is a dictator,” Barlow said. “I was speaking on emotion.“

Funny. I was kind of thinking it was more on stupidity. But what do I know?

-Make me care about what cheater Marion Jones has to say about her positive drug test.

-Who was the bigger bust: Brian Bosworth or Drew Henson?